Défil
by UofMluv
Summary: Danzou has completely taken over Konoha. Sakura is stripped of her pride when she is forced to aid and assist him. She acts as a spy for the secret resistance that has been building against him, while hoping for Naruto's return. What happens though, when Sasuke is convinced to return to Konoha instead, and how will that affect Sakura?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Please read and review, all feedback is welcome :)

**Disclaimer:**

_I don't own Naruto._

**Qualifier:**

This fanfic takes place in the au world in which...

Danzou has taken over Konoha after Tsunade has failed to awaken from her coma.

Sasuke has killed Itachi, but does not know the truth about the Uchiha massacre.

Sakura never followed Naruto, declared her love for him, or went after Sasuke.

* * *

**Défil**

**Chapter 1**

"Where is he?" Danzou growled into Sakura's ear.

"I don't know! I swear!"

Sakura's denials were ignored as he shoved her forward into the Hokage's desk. Her forehead made contact with the hard surface, sending scores of pain through her head. Danzou leaned over her shaking form, tightly binding her wrists in his grasp.

"You will tell me where the Jinchuuriki is Kunoichi. Do it and I'll spare your precious friends here in Konoha. You think I don't know about the secret faction against my regime? But I do know. I know that they meet under the guise of restoration committee number three. I know who's in charge. I know every single shinobi involved. Now, tell me, where is Uzumaki?"

_Damn it_, she thought. Danzou had more information on the resistance than they had anticipated. "They" consisted of the Rookie 9, Team Guy, and the rest of the Jounin and Chuunin who were still loyal to Tsunade after Danzou's take over. The Anbu were too closely monitored by Root to be trusted fully with information. Danzo had made it so that every Anbu squad consisted of a Root member, insuring that the dirty deeds of the council and, more dangerously, Danzou were followed through.

Danzou's grip straining against her arms continued to pull down. Sakura's shoulder's screamed from the tension. She clenched her jaw and threw her head back towards the sickening voice. She was only rewarded with a grunt though, after her head made contact with a solid chest instead of a face. Danzou growled and this time his entire body slammed Sakura into the desk.

"Silence won't get you anywhere kunoichi and neither will your struggles."

His weight pressing her harder into the wood caused Sakura to panic. She had to get out of here and he wouldn't let her leave without information. Ironically, Sakura actually knew very little about her best friend's whereabouts. The shinobi still loyal to Tsunade-Sama felt it in Naruto's best interest to keep the details about his training in the knowledge of only a select few ninja. While Sakura was annoyed that that group hadn't included her, now she was more than grateful for the lack of information.

After Pein's attack on Konoha more than four months ago, Naruto had been forced to run. The council had made it glaringly clear that they wanted him dead. Sakura could only hope that he found some kind of safety from her own village and the threats of Akatsuki. Now it was her time to help keep her precious friend safe.

"Fine I'll tell you," she managed to grit out even with her face mashed into the table top.

He seemed to believe her words and eased off her back. She was swiftly spun around, a Root agent replacing his restraint on her wrists behind her back.

"He's... He's training in Water Country."

Sakura lowered her head in hopes of hiding her expression. The seconds that followed were filled with silence. She could only hope that he would believe the farce. Danzou appeared to be contemplating the validity of her statement, watching for any sign that she might be lying. Sakura raised her eyes to see if the self imposed Hokage bought her story, but he was no longer standing in front of her. Instead she heard the shuffling of papers from the desk she had just been assaulted on. When the shuffling stopped, Danzou stepped back around to hand a mission scroll the Root members currently standing towards the back windows of the Hokage's office.

"Your mission is to retrieve the jinchuuriki and bring him back to Konoha at any costs."

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" The three responded together and disappeared out the window.

Sakura's rigid body relaxed the slightest bit at the dismissal of the Root squad. _That should buy Naruto some time before I can send a warning_, she thought_._ It was well known that the Land of Water contained hundreds of small islands. That Anbu team would be forced to scour every single island in hopes of finding their target.

However, her reprieve was cut short. Danzou stalked back in front of her, taking her chin into his steel grip. His one eye glared into hers. She glared back, though slightly less threatening. She studied his lined and scared face, looking for any hint of what he wanted.

"You were the apprentice to Tsunade."

The statement hung in the air. He continued to regard her until he took the silence as confirmation.

"Very well. You will act as my assistant, seeing as the last one failed to show the same _loyalty_ to the present Hokage as you do."

Sakura's eyes widened at the statement and her stomach twisted at the word loyalty. Shizune had always been one of Tsunade's most stout supporters and refused to work for their new leader. Shizune had not been seen since Danzou took office. She knew then that she would have no choice but to obey his orders. The fingers that griped her chin made their way around her neck, painfully holding her in place. Any hint of her challenging his authority and he would snap her neck. Not wanting that day to come any time soon, Sakura assented with a semblance of a nod, her throat too tense to make a sound. Suddenly her neck was released and she took a sharp intake of air.

"Leave. I expect you to report here tomorrow morning, seven O'clock."

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

Sakura barely managed making her reply audible. She hated that he had this power over her. He stripped her of her will as well as her grip on her emotions.

Finally, he strode out of the office towards the private chambers. Sakura practically bolted toward the door, eager to put as much distance between herself and Danzou.

Her legs took her out of the Hokage tower and into the night. The rest of Konoha was slowly being resurrected much to the efforts of Yamato-taicho and the villagers. She walked through the heart of the city, where most of the construction was complete, and toward the outskirts. The number of people out increased changing from civilians to shinobi. Weaving through the tall canvas tents, she made her way to the newly established training grounds.

The grounds were only illuminated by an odd flash of chakra every now and then. Small groups of ninja trained, but conversation was kept to a minimum. Shinobi censored their words in fear of being accused of treason. Danzou had Root agents everywhere in the makeshift city. Their unwelcome presence brutally reminded them of their fallen leader and Danzou's power.

Sakura trained her eyes on the tree line. Then, as a spark of chakra lit up her field of vision, she caught a glimpse of her target. Walking past a genin team, Sakura made her way towards a copse in the far right of the grounds. The flashing lights lit the tree trunks just enough for her to discern a familiar shock of silver hair. Sakura quickened her pace as she approached the figure.

"Ah, Sakura-chan, it's good to see you," Kakashi greeted with a familiar eye crinkle. However, the effect was mostly lost in the heavy darkness.

"Hi Kakashi-sensei."

Sakura looked down to her feet, unsure of how to relay her confrontation with Danzou. She felt trapped by her situation. The last thing she wanted was to be at the beck and call of some deranged (as Sakura thought he was) and militaristic leader. Danzou made his position clear though, she didn't have a choice. She knew that wouldn't be betraying the resistance with her new position. Hell, it wasn't like she asked for it! Actually now that she thought about it, this position would most like give them easier access to more information about Danzou's plans. A new feeling swelled in her chest at the thought of it. Finally she would be worth something to the resistance. Her, Sakura, would finally be able to help save her village.

* * *

The Copy-nin casually leaning against a tree straightened when he saw one of his former students approach. The past month had been difficult on most shinobi, but he had a feeling that Sakura had been suffering more than she let on. Her mentor was stilled trapped in a coma after saving hundreds of lives during Pain's attack and her best friend had been forced into hiding. Kakashi also had a feeling that that Sasuke, who had successfully avenged his clan and had not yet returned to Konoha (at least what was left of it), was taking and emotional toll on the girl as well.

While the Copy-nin doubted he would ever see his three students back together in Konoha peacefully, he knew that Sakura still secretly held on to that hope. Whether she was aware of that hope or not was a mystery even to him. He suspected that she mostly pushed any thoughts of Sasuke away.

Kakashi made sure to keep his eye on Sakura recently. He chalked it up to fact that she had been a student and teammate of his that he felt this concern. How else could a vibrantly pink haired girl work her way into his small list of precious people? He watched as she threw herself into the role of medic. She continued to work as hard as ever with her usual cheerfulness, but when he looked close enough, the gleam in her pale green eyes had disappeared.

"Hi Kakashi-sensei."

With only a few words spoken by his former student he was able to tell something was wrong. The confidence she usually held herself with was gone, the girl who stood before him more closely resembled the weak student he had known when team 7 was still together.

"Sakura, what's—

But before he could finish his inquiry, the demeanor of the small form in front of him changed. Her rounded shoulders straightened and pulled back, her head raised high over a slender neck, and her pair of green eyes rose to meet his single grey one.

"Our prospects might just have changed for the better, sensei."

Those hushed yet determined words completely changed what Kakashi thought the upcoming conversation would entail. He was expecting another round of twenty questions about the whereabouts of Naruto, and his own usual method of evasion, by changing the topic or simply disappearing, from his side of the conversation. The last thing he expected was to see the determined expression in her eyes that he hadn't seen since she and Naruto beat him in the bell test for the second time.

"As of ten minutes ago I am Danzou's new assistant. And I think we can use this— "

"Shh, not here."

Kakashi signaled her to follow him as he headed out of the training grounds and through the maze of tents. They passed through the shadows and avoided being seen by other shinobi. He made three stops, whispering a secret code words into the specific tents. He lead Sakura past the last seven tents in the row and into one of the many supply areas. This one contained high stacks of lumber. Kakashi took Sakura's hand, pulling her in between two lumber stacks and waited.

* * *

After being dragged halfway across camp and into the reconstruction sector Sakura was thoroughly annoyed with the Copy-nin. Being so far away from the lights of camp made it hard to anything in front of her, but she knew that Sharingan Kakashi would be able to make out the expression of extreme annoyance on her face.

Sensing the seriousness of the situation though, she refrained from remarking on how she was always left out of the loop. Kakashi seemed to make it his life's goal to keep her out of anything that had to do with the resistance. Sakura knew she had her hand full with her duty as medic, but she wanted to do her part as a Konoha shinobi as well. Danzou had just foiled Kakashi's plans. There was no way they could pass up this opportunity, right?

The quiet sound of three different sets of approaching footsteps interrupted her thinking. She must have visibly tenses because then Kakashi spoke.

"It's alright, Sakura. It's who we've been expecting."

Once the words were spoken Shikamaru, Shikaku, and Morino Ibiki, the only Anbu member in resistance. stepped into the small space between lumber her and Kakashi were occupying. She greeted the Nara's with a nod and silently regarded Ibiki as he did her.

"So, there has been a development?" asked Shikaku.

The question was directed at Sakura. She took a deep breath and told them about her position under Danzou.

"Well, Haruno, it looks like you'll be able to provide the resistance with a new set of eyes and ears. You will need to be discreet about gathering information. Do not go out of your way to hunt down a lead without authorization. Your mission will only be to report the suspicious activity that you observe. Is that understood?"

Ibiki explained her role with utmost seriousness, reminding her of the time when he explained the rules durring the written portion of the chunnin exams. She still harbored a fear of the integration specialist after that event.

"Hai, Morino-san."

"Good, then you will report your findings to Hatake or Nara Shikamaru to avoid suspicion."

"Hai."

With that the three men walked away into the night. Sakura turned to face the man standing to her right. She noticed that he had gone rigid and was staring a hole into the lumber above her head.

"Kaka-sensei?"

He directed his one eyed stare to her then. The weight of his gaze was unsettle and Sakura began shifting her weight from one foot to another. She was opening her mouth the ask again when his words cut her off.

"Sakura, you have to be careful. Danzou knows that you won't take the position lying down. You cannot give him any reason to suspect that you are playing spy, or the consequences will be severe. In fact, I'm sure that he will assume that the resistance will try to use you. He may feed you false information so it is imperative that you report all information to me—"

"But Ka—"

"No Sakura, listen. I know you can be just as impulsive as Naruto at times," Kakashi lifted a finger to silence her when he saw her hackles raise in disagreement.

"Danzou won't hesitate to hurt you, kill you. You need to be careful."

Her anger at being treated like a child and then compared to Naruto fizzled away when she heard the emotion in his voice. The ever stoic Hatake Kakashi showing emotion. This was a momentous event for the pink haired kunoichi and the perfect oportunity.

"Aww Kakashi-sensei. Don't worry about me I'll be fine. Is that a tear I see? Here let me get that."

Just as she raised her hand the snatch at the fabric of the illusive mask Kakashi's hand halted her wrist.

"Tsk,tsk, Sakura-chan that isn't nice. Trying to take advantage of your poor sensei?"

"What? No—I," she spluttered into the retreating jounin vest.

_So much for seeing his face, oh well, maybe next time_. Sakura sighed and cursed the dirty old man she had for a sensei. How dare he even suggest that?

"Wait! I already have something to report."

He quickly returned to her side, giving her an expectant look.

"Danzou pressured me for information about Naruto's location. I gave him a false lead but, if Naruto's not careful he might end up with multiple teams of Anbu on his back. And he knows about the resistance, and committee three and—"

"We know this already Sakura."

"And you're not going to do anything about it?! Please you need to contact him. At least, let me know he's safe."

Something changed in the copy-nin's eyes then, a softer look came over them. He reached out and ruffled the girls pink tresses reassuringly.

"I'll do my best to keep him safe Sakura-chan. The resistance can handle itself, though be sure to report anything else you hear."

Kakashi paused and then gave her another sincere look.

"Remember what I said."

He disappeared with a quiet _pop_ and puff of smoke.

His words were just heard over the cacophony of crickets and frogs and seemed to die in the darkness. Thoughts of naruto, as if hanging over her shoulders, broke the light mood that the quick bout of teasing had ensued. She wandered through camp alone until she came across her own tent.

Sakura had had long day, the longest she had in while actually. Both her head and body ached and demanded sleep, so she readied for bed in her small space. Most of the tent was lined with stacks of various medical texts. Her personal items as well as ninja gear were stored in their respective packs at the foot of her bed roll.

She laid down on top of the blankets—the weather was too hot to sleep under the covers. She wondered if this would be her last night sleeping in the "tent city." Danzou, the new council, the elders, and those in favor with the new Hokage had been the first to be settled in permanent residences like the civilians. The Hokage tower, the hospital and academy had been reconstructed first followed by the civilian sector and various shinobi headquarters. Thankfully most of the hospital had been spared by the attack and Yamato-taicho was able to bring it back to life with minimal effort.

As of then, most shinobi were camping. It wasn't an inconvenience for most though, because shinobi were constantly being sent out on missions. Missions were the primary source of economic funding for the village when most means of trade and commerce had been destroyed.

If Danzou wanted to keep her close, which she assumed he did, he would probably move her into his compound. Sakura cringed at the thought. It would be closer to hospital and lately she had spent most of time her healing. These new living arrangements may have some advantages, but the close proximity to Danzou was enough to make whatever could be positive about the situation negative.

Now that she thought about it, she didn't know how she was going to balance her work with the hospital with her responsibilities as Danzou's assistant. He would need her at almost all times.

All times.

Then it hit her. She wouldn't be working at the hospital after this night. Her fists clenched the sheets at her side.

Tsunade's condition and the disappearance of Shizune had left Sakura in a tenuous position. She was ranked top medic yet only had the short field experience of a chuunin. Many expected her to take over at the hospital, which she did. She had the help of other senior medics, but she had finally just gotten used to her role as head medic. The hospital was running almost as well as it did in the past with Sakura at the helm these past four months. She had dedicated herself to healing and running the hospital. Now she was forced to give that up and it frustrated her to no end.

The one thing Sakura hated more than being weak was being out of control. That was why Sakura had taken so easily to the career. She could depend on her unwavering control on her chakra, her emotions, her actions, and her decisions as a medic. She was confident in her abilities and rarely ever did her endeavors end in misfortune. Becoming Danzou's new assistant was taking away that control though. She was pray to the whim of her "Hokage." Kami, how her stomach twisted at the thought.

All she could do now was close her eyes and try not to think about everything that was going wrong. She turned, facing the tent wall, but instead of offering darkness to her weary eyes she searched for the small glint of glass she had seen in the corner of her vision. A thin stream of light filtered into her small space from the gap between the canvass flap-doors. There was just enough light to cast down on her old picture of team 7. She reached for the frame and once it was in her hand she stroked the glass with her thumb.

_Where are you Naruto, Sasuke? I hope you're safe, both of you. I love you._

Carefully, she placed the frame on the mated floor and fell asleep next to the faces of her teammates.

* * *

The rouge ninja's silhouette stood out against the river. Moon light reflected off the surface and onto the weapon gripped in his hand. The razor sharp edge caught the light and flashed into the night. A black aura encompassed the bank, emanating from the man.

The squad of four Anbu slowly approached him, their actions mirroring a defenseless hiker trying to not provoke an already tensed mountain lion.

"The Hokage wishes to speak to you," the Anbu captain spoke in a monotonous tone, but it failed to mask the rigid set of his shoulders.

A long moment of silence passed. While he had been awaiting this confrontation for the past two days, having been able to sense their pursuit, he wasn't sure what his answer would be.

"Then tell the fool to come speak to me himself," the ninja growled low.

The ninja abruptly turned away from the water and towards the squad behind him. He weighed the advantages of just killing them then and there,he already knew what they had to say.

"Danzou-sama has said to inform you that the circumstances have changed since the last time he contacted you. He says to assure you that he will personal make your return to Konoha well worth your while."

He thought of that bloody night, when he had killed _him_, nearly four months ago. Not a day or hour had passed without it flooding into his thoughts. So many things about that night didn't add up. He was an avenger, and avenge he did. However, the satisfaction, closure, finality, whatever you want to name it, had not come to him. His mind was still locked in turmoil, but this time he had no ambition to focus it in. He needed a new goal, one he could only complete in Konoha. They would be avenged and restored to their past glory, he swore it.

The lone ninja lifted his sword, setting it into the scabbard at his waist. The shinobi's hands in front of him tensed over their weapons. He smirked over the effect he had on them.

"Very well then. Tell your Hokage that I will be visiting soon."

"Of course, Uchiha-san."

* * *

Thanks for reading.

'til next time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:**

_I don't own Naruto._

**A/N:**

I hope this clears up any confusion:

Sasuke has killed Itachi, but does NOT know the truth about the Uchiha massacre. He still believes that Itachi is guilty.

Sakura never followed Naruto, declared her love for him, or tried to kill Sasuke.

**Please read and review!**

* * *

Chapter 2

Sakura stood before the doors to Danzou's office, fingers gripping the hem of her red shirt. Nerves: she didn't used have any issue controlling her anxiety, but current events seemed to unravel most of the composure she once had.

Not wanting to be late, she pulled open the door brusquely which gained the attention of the occupants of the room. Danzou's harsh stare seemed to burn through her skin as she stepped inside. He dismissed the shinobi just as Sakura took her place in front of him. She knelt down, forehead touching the cool wooden floor. Her jaw trembled as it clenched. What type of Hokage made their shinobi kneel in front of him? The position of Hokage was made with the intention of a strong ninja leading his village, not subjecting them to humiliating forms of deference.

"Stand."

Sakura responded accordingly to the request. When fully risen she focused her eyes on his face. He was back to sitting at the desk, pen in hand. She waited for him to begin.

"You will assist me with paperwork and my schedule. You will also need to make provisions for the hospital. I do not wish to see that it is mismanaged in your absence."

As much as she wanted to believe that his reference to her work in the hospital was a backhanded compliment, she knew he was simply stating her duties. She eyed the numerous stacks of paper work on a smaller desk along the left wall and inwardly groaned. For someone who wanted to run an efficient village, assigning her office work, when she could be saving lives, a definite "mismanagement" of shinobi.

"Just as the work of the Hokage is never finished, neither will yours. I will need you close by at all times. Your new living assignment will be at the Hokage's compound. Report there at the end of the day."

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

Danzou went on to explain in more detail her tasks. Most of it she had expected, having seen Shizune work for Tsunade-sama and having done the very same tasks herself when her superior was incapacitated from too much sake.

"Oh, and Sakura. It's good to see you so cooperative today."

_I can show you cooperative_, Sakura thought with one fist tightening at her side. She was forced to take a breath to physically calm herself. Of all the things Tsunade-sama had passed down to her pupil it was the short temper that Sakura was resolutely trying to unlearn.

The rest of the morning was less eventful. She labored over paperwork and fetching documents and tea. The way Danzou kept sending her unreadable looks unnerved her though. She hoped that the occasional glances she sent him in return weren't as obvious. From what she saw, it was surprising that he had been able to handle most of the work. His bandaged arm looked frail even from a distance. She idly wondered what had happened to it. His medical files had to be somewhere in the hospital. She made a mental note to do some investigating during her next visit to the hospital. Assuming her new position as the Hokages's assistant would still give her the same level of clearance as her old job, she wouldn't have to worry about anyone finding her snooping in the records room.

While the paper work was monotonous and tiring, she kept a keen eye on mission rosters, correspondence between the Hokage and foreign officials and Daimyos and other information that had the potential to be used by the resistance. She planned to keep tabs on all the goings on for Kakashi-sensei.

Despite Danzou's left over threat hanging in the room from yesterday, he hadn't demanded anything that she hadn't seen Tsunade-sama ask of Shizune. In fact, Sakura began to get quite bored with herself and her stack of papers. She longed to be in the hospital or out in the field carving craters into the land.

However, it appeared she spoke too soon. She could have sworn he had been staring at her for the past five minutes straight. Inconspicuously, she pulled the pink bangs that had fallen into her eyes and tucked them neatly behind an ear. A side glance later and her assumption was confirmed. Before she could attempt to escape his gaze, a knock was heard at the door. She quickly headed toward the disturbance. As soon as she had cracked the door open a four member Anbu squad unceremoniously pushed their way past her into the room.

"Sakura, you are excused."

"Wha—oh of course."

She glanced between Danzou and the team and fled the office. After the door was firmly shut a silencing jutsu was cast over the office. This was unusual because she had witnessed a number of different Anbu squads report in and receive missions throughout the day.

She paused, staring at the door like she had done earlier that morning. This proved that Danzou was aware, at least suspicious, of her association with the rebels. What she couldn't quite figure out though, was why he would want someone so disloyal so close to him. The notion of keeping your enemies close didn't apply to her. Sakura was barely a threat, a chuunin more concentrated on healing than ripping throats out. She considered herself a protector, not an attacker, and she was sure others saw the same in her. Something more was definitely going on that he wanted to hide from her.

Well, if he was going to kick her out, she was going to take care of some business at the hospital. She left the new tower and headed toward the only familiar building left in Konoha. It seemed fitting that Danzou's new regime was accompanied with an entire change of scene. The past four months had seemed so foreign to her. She couldn't look down the same streets she grew up playing on or even muse over team 7 over a hot bowl of ramen at the old Ichiraku stand.

Once past the industrial doors of the hospital, she immediately approached the reception desk.

"Oh hello Sakura-san! We heard about your appointment. Congratulations, although you will be missed around here," the receptionist chirped with a genuine smile.

"Thank you Mai. Could you tell me if Hayate-san is in surgery now?"

After referencing the computer behind the high counter, Mai told her that he should be somewhere on the fourth floor making rounds. Sakura thanked her and strode to the elevators, punching in the fourth floor button. She hadn't been gone for a day and the hospital still appeared to be running fine without her. She took this as a good indication for the future. It was either that or the staff was actually afraid of her as much as the rumor mill said. _At least I can intimidate someone_. Danzou made her feel small and inconsequential, especially when his hands were wrapped around her neck.

The doors opened and she stepped onto the familiar floor of the maternity ward. Sakura didn't tell anyone, but this was her favorite part of the hospital. Despite the conflict outside the walls of the hospital (and sometimes even within them), she could come here and see the all newly born lives. It somehow made her world a bit better knowing that these fresh and innocent humans still lived in the peaceful world of their mother's arms.

Sakura only had to travel down one hall in order to find Hayate. He was a very accomplished medic. He had the years of experience that Sakura didn't have when she was thrust into the position of head medic. He had been invaluable to her, helping her run the hospital and advising her. He also was the medic in charge of overseeing Tsunade-sama's care.

"Hayate-san, can you spare a moment?"

"Ah, there you are Sakura-san. I was waiting for you to show up at one point or another today."

"Am I really that predictable?" Sakura asked with a slight blush forming on her cheeks.

"No, you just can't keep away from the hospital for more than the time it takes to get a night's rest."

Sakura couldn't lie, the smile he gave her made her blush deepen a little. The only challenge working with the older medic was trying not to get distracted by his looks. He had a kind and young face. Only the beginning of smile lines in the corners of his eyes belied his age of mid thirty. Sakura had to talk to the head nurse to reassign the giggling nurses to another medic's service when they failed to act professionally. The memory tugged a smile at the corner of her lips.

"Yes, well that will be changing now. I need someone who I can trust to take over things here. You know how things go, you practically ran the place when I was still learning."

"Of course I'll take over the responsibility, Sakura-san."

Relief washed over the young medic. She hadn't realized how much the issue weighed on her nerves. She granted him a wide smile.

"What a relief. I know I have nothing to worry about with you running things around here."

"Your confidence in my abilities is heartening."

A chatty bunch of nurses drew their attention from down the hall.

"Maybe we should talk further in my office?" Hayate suggested.

She followed him towards the elevators. They ascended one level and continued into his office in silence.

"How is our patient?" Sakura asked as soon as he had closed the door.

"There have been no changes. She continues to not show any response to the tests. You know there isn't much more we can do for her condition besides provide nourishment and prevent atrophy."

"Yes, I know that. Can I see her though?"

"I suppose. Here."

He scribbled something on a sheet of paper from the desk and handed it to her.

"Thanks again, for everything."

"It's my pleasure."

He gripped her shoulder reassuringly and offered her a smile before she left.

* * *

After passing the doctor's note to the guard in front of Tsunade-sama's door, Sakura crossed the threshold, stopping barely inside the room. She still wasn't accustomed to seeing her Shishou in this condition. Her long hair was white like drift wood and brittle looking. Her pale and aged skin was cool to the touch.

Sitting down in the chair at the edge of the bed, she took the patient's hands in hers.

"Hi Shishou, how've you been?"

"Yeah me too. Danzou's got me working as his pet. I didn't have a choice in it, so don't think I've jumped sides."

Sakura sighed and rested her head against the mattress. The Thin blanket and sheet tickled her face.

"You know, I never liked this bedding. When you're up and about were going to make some serious changes to this place, alright?" Sakura told the unresponsive woman, her voice trailing off.

"I don't think Danzou has me working for him because he needed a new assistant. There's something going on here beneath the surface, I can feel it Shishou. I'm trying to do what Kakashi-sensei says, to 'look beneath the underneath.' But I can't get past the surface. Danzou knows that they have me looking out for any information to use against him. He won't let me get anywhere near the crucial information that the resistance is expecting me to extract. I think we're underestimating him. He has a trump card he's about to use against us, I just don't know what it could possibly be. What do you think?"

She looked up from the bed, searching her mentor's face. Searching for any type of response, for hope.

She pulled away and stepped out into the hall. Sakura always felt the full brunt of the loses of her loved ones when she visited. Tsunade-sama made it even more difficult because while she was physically here, her spirit was not. First she lost Ino as a friend (while they had made up a few years ago the pain over the separation was still there), then Sasuke left the village, Shizune was most likely killed four months ago, and shortly after that Naruto was forced to flee for his life. Sakura was just waiting for the next person to be stripped from her life. _I just want my teammates to come home safely_, she thought wistfully.

Sakura's visit with Tsunade-sama left her exhausted, and it was only mid afternoon. She checked her watch, she still had a few minutes left before she absolutely had to return to Danzou's side. Just enough time to make a trip to the records room.

The basement held a copy of every ninja's medical record in the village. If she was going to dig up any information on Danzou it would be here. She wasn't sure why, but his injuries seemed to be more than they appeared. She headed towards one of the tall shelving units in the mid front section of the dark room. Apparently the hospital didn't want to spend money on lighting down there. It become another thing that needed to be changed on her mental list.

She rifled through the files. It wasn't difficult to locate the correct area. She scanned the names on the colorful tabs that stood out from the cream folders. No matter where she looked though, she couldn't locate his file.

This was unheard of. The records room was under the strictest of security. Only a select few had access to these files. Either someone else wanted to research the new Hokage's health or Danzou was purposefully withholding information.

The timer she set on her wrist watch sounded then. Disappointed she returned to the Hokage Tower with more questions than when she had left.

It was past seven by the time Sakura was allowed to leave the tower. After she had returned from the hospital Danzou had not been pleased with her extended absence. Apparently his idea of punishment was sending her out for tedious errands. While she had been glad to escape his suffocating presence, she was also disappointed that she was unable to observe him, or rather his arms.

She grabbed a quick dinner at one of the many restaurants that had been re-established before leaving to pack her things. What meager personal items she had were sealed away in a scroll for easy transit. She made sure to pack her picture in the weapons pouch at her hip though.

The last thing she had to do was disassemble her tent and return it to the supply office. She noticed how the number of tents seemed to be diminishing lately. Everyday more and more shinobi were able to move back into permanent homes with their families. While she couldn't stand Danzou, she had to admit that at least he was doing his job at getting people resettled.

The office was further inside the village, in the direction of the compound. Sakura was nervous about the arrangements. It would keep her even further removed from her friends and the other shinobi. Maybe that's was what Danzou was after. If it was, so far he was successful. She hadn't seen anyone she knew all day. She didn't have time to hunt down Kakashi or Shikamaru during the day as well. She was going to have to make time to report her findings to those two at this rate. It seemed Danzou was keeping her as far away from the resistance as he could, even if he was already withholding information from her.

She took a newly cobbled road that curved out of the busy village center and towards the Hokage compound. The light from the businesses and apartments began to disappear the farther away she became. This section of Konoha was more heavily wooded and secluded. Apparently the new Hokage liked his privacy.

Tsunade hardly spent any time in the old compound. Many times Sakura and Shizune would find her still at her desk in the morning, sake bottle in hand. When Sakura had asked her why she didn't just go home she responded something along the lines of "they'll just bother me there anyway, and then I'll have to drag myself out of bed." Sakura now understood what she meant. From just one day spent working under Danzou she could see how the Hokage was always sought after by someone for something or other. She couldn't understand why Naruto sought after the position with such eagerness.

Sakura didn't see the appeal. In fact, she couldn't wait to return to the hospital. Every minute she was away she felt like she could have saved a life. Not to mention she didn't want her medic skills to go rusty. She would have to find time to visit the hospital after working for Danzou.

When she rounded the curve, the building came into view. The compound was tucked into the familiar forest with a tall fence surrounding it. Two guards stood in front of the gate; they were Anbu. She approached them with a smile and small greeting. They answered with stony silence and gestured for her to enter. They must have been root for them to respond to her that way, after all she had saved more than half the Anbu's lives at one point or another.

Sakura felt a mix of contempt and appreciation when she viewed the compound. It was traditionally built with dark wood paneling and sloping roofs. The depth of building was obscured in the darkness, but she could imagine that the size of the interior was just as impressive as the facade.

Her inspection was interrupted by the soft welcomes of an older woman. She lead Sakura down the path toward the manor and then inside. The interior was set in a low glow which cast long shadows. The woman continued to lead her through the manor. Sakura discovered that the building was set up like a "U," with a courtyard in between the two arms. Most of the common rooms were located in the western wing, while the personal rooms were located in the eastern wing. The woman took her through the long halls to the eastern wing. Her room was situated with the other guest rooms. Sakura was told someone would find her in the morning to take her to breakfast and then was left alone for the night.

Her room was simple. There was one window across from the door with a desk directly below it. The bed was pushed against the left wall, while the right wall was occupied by doors that to what she assumed were a bathroom and closets.

She flicked on the light switch and continued to turn of the lamp on the desk. The room was flooded with a warm light, contrasting harshly with the rest of the interior. She took out her sealing scroll and released it on the bed. She unpacked her things, making sure each item had a place. The last item she removed was the picture frame from its spot along her hip. She placed it on the bedside table and took in the room as a whole.

This would be her new home for next undetermined amount of time. She could only guess at how long Danzou planned on keeping her around. While she was there she planned on extracting all the information she could. All she had to do was remember that it would bring Naruto home faster, and she would be filled with new motivation. Her friends needed her and so did the other Leaf shinobi.

Danzou was planning to isolate Konoha from the rest of the Great Shinobi Nations. Ever since he refused to go to the summit some months ago, relations had been strained. From what she had read earlier that day, he was even refusing aid from their ally Suna. Danzou was going to ruin Konoha should there be another war, especially with the increasing threat of the Akatsuki. The other Shinobi Nations have never been known to be kind to other villages, and wouldn't even think twice abput taking out Konoha in its current weakened state, should war ensue.

Sakura was pulled from her thoughts when there was a soft knock on the door. She left her place on the bed to answer it. A looming white mask greeted her outside her door.

"The Hokage wishes to see you. Come."

He quickly turned on his heel, expecting her to follow. He took her deeper into the manor. The halls seemed to get longer and darker with each step. Soon she abandoned at the door of Danzou's private chambers. _What does he want from me now_, she thought bitterly as she knocked. She heard a muted "come in" and entered promptly.

Danzou stood facing the line windows in the far side of the room. The light inside caused the room's reflection to glace into the space. Sakura met the eye in Danzou's reflection. She continued to stare until his eye narrowed. She soon remembered herself and dropped down to her knees.

"You wanted me, Hokage-sama?"

He regarded her folded form, neglecting to release her from the pose. His eyes seemed to roam her body in the most unnerving manner. She had to restrain herself from shaking off the heavy looks or making any unwanted facial expressions. He couldn't know that he bothered her so much.

"Yes, I require your—"

He paused, walking away from the window. It wasn't until he was standing directly in front of her did he finish.

"Services."

Sakura's eyes bulked at the implication of his words. He couldn't possibly be suggesting _that._ It was too base for even Danzou to consider, although it would explain all the peculiar looks. She cast her eyes towards his shoes, feeling more uncomfortable by the second.

"I need someone with a very specific knowledge set."

Sakura just about sagged with relief. She must have been over analyzing the whole situation. He just needed her skills as a medic. Maybe this was why he requested her the other day.

"You are Hatake's healer, and have worked with the Sharingan."

Sakura looked up sharply at the mention of the Sharingan. She nodded hesitantly.

"Then you have studied it thoroughly. Medically speaking, you have the highest level of knowledge on this particular trait currently."

"Yes, Tsunade-shishou and I were the only medics to ever treat Kakashi-sensei."

Sakura greatly disliked discussing Tsunade-sama with Danzou. His trivial statements were once again lingering in an unpleasant subject. It was one far too close to her to be considered offhand. In fact, his brief deductions about her skill were quickly beginning to irritate the pink-haired medic. She bristled at his clear reluctance to recognize her skill.

Sakura was almost distracted from the mention of Sharingan. She couldn't imagine why he would be asking about it unless there was a Sharingan user who needed healing_. The_ _last time I spoke to Kakashi-sensei he had seemed fine, so that had to mean— oh Kami, it can't be._ Sakura's shoulders went rigid with the realization.

Sasuke. It had to be him. Why else would Danzou be inquiring about that specific blood limit? Was he back in Konoha? Were his eyes wounded? Did he need her help? The questions assailed her brain one after another. It was like she was unable to form a single coherent thought. Her mind was simply not prepared to take in this information.

She scolded herself inwardly when she noticed Danzou observing her reaction. Her lapse in control was unacceptable, especially for a medic who must be able to approach every situation with a clear head. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her affected though. She didn't even dare to shift her weight on her knees, which were beginning to hurt from the hard wood floors.

"You will be utilized for your medical abilities as of tonight. You will still be expected to perform your duty as assistant as well."

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

"Stand."

As much as Sakura wanted to refute his orders, she wouldn't refuse the aid to her old teammate. Obediently, she rose to her full height, thankful for the relief it brought to her knees. Before she could react, Danzou was already performing the hand seals. He finished the last one in a blur and gripped her throat. She gasped in surprise and pain. Whatever justsu he was using on her was burning something into her tongue. He released her after a few seconds.

"What did you do?" she choked out, hands flying to her throat.

"I'm quite sure you are familiar with this seal. It will insure your silence regarding your future duty as medic. You won't be able to tell another living soul about this assignment. The consequences are severe."

His arm reached to stroke her neck when he spoke the last sentence. She recoiled from his touch. She had had enough of his threats to her life. He seemed to think her neck would snap just as easily as a doll. She disagreed, not doubting that she would put up a good fight should that ever happen.

She thought more closely on his words then. He must mean Sai. His seal prevented him from speaking about the mission Danzou assigned him and even if he did managed to, it would result in his death.

The initial anger Sakura felt was beginning to wane, instead a deep worry took over. What could this mean? What was so dire that she was barred from speaking of it?

It was then that Danzou began to unwrap the white bandages that encircled his head and covered his right eye. The newly exposed eye glinted red instead of the dark brown of its brother. Inside sat the familiar tomoe that marked it as the Sharingan. He removed his right arm from his robe and slowly unwrapped it. Each time he rounded the arm an eye was exposed. Each eye contained a bloodshot sharingan.

She was upset with herself for agreeing to help the monster before her. Regardless of the fact that there wasn't a choice, she readily offered her services. She was so sure it was Sasuke that needed her help that she was unable to think clearly.

Sakura felt nauseated and enraged at the sight. This type of experimentation reeked of Orochimaru. She could only imagine how he managed to harvest that many eyes. Each pair belonged to a deceased member of her dear teammate's clan.

"The eyes, they are not functioning properly. You will heal them."

"I will try to the best of my ability, Hokage-sama."

"Begin now."

Sakura nearly blanched at examining his arm. She didn't want to have anything to do with his attempt at gaining power by collecting other's blood limits. Just from observing the eyes at a distance, she could tell they were distressed. Each one was bloodshot and appeared unfocussed. Taking a deep breath, she moved closer to Danzou. She gingerly held his arm so that she could examine the ten eyes. Her chankra flowed from her finger tips and into the flesh surrounding each eye. She examined each eye individually as she would for Kakashi-sensei.

What she found caused her to frown. The implanted organs were dying. The force with which his body was rejecting the foreign bodies was stronger than the medical justsu placed upon the arm. This proved that Orochimaru wasn't knowledgeable in everything. She released the arm and placed her fingers along his temples. She examined his right eye only to make the same diagnosis.

"I only have bad news, Hokage-sama. The eyes are dying, there is nothing I can do besides delaying the eventual blindness."

"Are you sure that there are absolutely no other possibilities?"

"The only option would be to replace the eyes, but that is impossible. I will have to perform regular haling sessions and prescribe you a drug in order to preserve the eyes as long as possible."

His demeanor changed when she mentioned replacement.

"Very well. We will continue this tomorrow. You are dismissed."

Sakura was taken aback by his abruptness. Mind still reeling from the encounter, she bowed absently and left the chamber. The thoughts and questions ricocheting in her mind accompanied to her room and to her bed. She was positive sleep would escape her tonight.

She sat back and took in this overload of information. Danzou had just let her in on a secret that might not be known by anyone else in Konoha. It was the perfect information to use against him. They now knew his greatest weakness if the information wasn't enough to incriminate him (which it was).

The seal along her tongue seemed to twinge at those thoughts. Then she realized that the resistance would never hear of this. Actually, she wasn't sure if she would be able to impart anymore information onto them, depending on the extent of the seal.

This was her one chance to help her village and her own skills got in the way of it. _Typical. _It seemed no matter how hard she worked she would always be weak. She cringed at the way she reacted when she though Sasuke was involved. She had practically melted on the floor the instant she thought of one of her teammates was in danger. She had to toughen up if she were to get control the situation.

The thought of Sasuke returning to the village was one of the thoughts still echoing at the back of her head. Was she really so shocked by her own reaction? It seemed whenever it came to him she was reduced to her twelve year old self. She wondered how she would react if he were to walk into the village the next day. Would she welcome him home or think him a traitor?

She resolved to worry about the mess with Danzou tomorrow, amidst the piles of paper work ahead of her. Sleep somehow managed to creep up on her, but it was not restful. She dreamed of swirling blood-red eyes.

* * *

Thanks for reading!


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